Rotating cylindrical glass mercury switch



Aug. 9, 1927. 1,638,133

W. R. WALKER ROTATING CYLINDRICAL GLASS MERCURY SWITCH Filed Jan 20, 1927 IIIEEEEJIII ns ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1927.

UNITED STATES v 1,638,133 PATENT, ojrrica,

WARREN R. WALKER, OF I BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOIBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ROTATING CYLINDRICA L GLASS MERCURY SWITCH.

Application filed January 20, 1927. Serial No. 162,267.

The present ,invention relates to electric switches of the liquid flow type and to 'mountings for holding them in suitable positions for moving them to break and make circuit therethrough.

Various vobjects and advantages of the invention' will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of apparatus embodying the-invention I fIOII1 an\ 10 inspection of the accompanylng drawing;

and the invention also consists in certain new and useful features of construction and combinations of and claimed. i

In the accompanyingdrawings there-is shown for purposes of illustration one form of apparatus embodying the invention, in which Fig. 1 is a front'elevation viewof a switch 20 unit involving the invention for mounting to a wall, a flush plate being part of the unit Fig. 2 is a vertical mid section ofa unit mounted in a wall,

26 Fig. 3 is an end elevation view of the unit taken along thefilines 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows,

used in the illustration and I Fig. 5 is a' back view of a handle member of the switch. In the drawings the flush plate 1 set over the recess 2 in the wall 4 carries the inwardly extending bracket 6 which carries $6 the upwardly extending arm 8 at the rear of said recess 2. Rotatably mounted in the opening 3 of said plate 1 is the stem of the knob handle 10 and in said arm 8 is rotatably mounted an extension 10 of the outer 40 end of the electrode lead 12 of a mercury switch comprising the horizontal cylindricalenvelope 14 of glass, fused quartz or the like which has sealed into ene end of the -said lead 12 and axially aligned therewith at the other end is the electrode lead 16 to which is mounted said handle 10. Dividing said envelope 14 transversely is the partition 20 of lass, quartz or the like which has an open- 1ng'22'which' is ofl the center of said partition 20 and which connects the two chambers into which said partition .20 divides said envelope 1. On the inner ends of said leads 12 and 16 are the annular-electrode terminals 24 and 26 and extending through parts hereinafter set forth when mounted with the windin 10 is insulated from said electrode 12 and a flexible connector 30 connects from said electrode 12 to a lead wire 32, the outer end of sad connector 30 being mounted to and insulated from said bracket 6. Another flexible lead 34 is connected to said electrode lead 16 and is mounted to but insulated" from said bracket 6 nects to a wire 36. I

On said handle 10 on the outside of plate 1 is a stifllyflexible finger 38 which in an open clrcuit position of the switch springs 1nto the depression 40 in the face of said plate 1 from which it can be moved by I tational pressure on saidhandle 10. Another depression 42 is provided to receive said (finger 38- in a closed position of the switch for holding it closed. The sides of said depressions 40 and 42 which are next each other are in the preferred form slightly sloped or rounded to permit the bringing of said finger 8 by rotationalmovement to said handle 10 to move the switch from the open-- at which point it conversa with a movement by the shorter distance between said depressions 40 and 42. The outer sides ,of said depressions 40 and 42 are made re-entrant in the preferred form to prevent movement of the switch unit to any position other than those in which said finger 38 is in either one of said depressions 40 oi' 42 or therebetween. Inside said plate 1 is a connector arm 44 carried by said handle 10 and opposite it in said plate 1 is the opening 46 through which from the outside can be viewed characters on said late 44 for indicating on and off positions 0 the switch. 7

In another embodiment of the invention, said conductors 30 and 34 are in the form of spiral springs heav r enough to support the switch- 14 and use to aid in the support of or to fullysupportthe switch body and to the closed circuit position thereofor vice F1gr4 is a face view of the flush plate one of said springs can be mounted with the r winding in the opposite direction from that of the other to counteract any tendency to a snap movement by said springs. Also,"

in the same direction the springs can be uti ized to serve the additional function ofiimparting movement of the switch in a direction to make rection.

While I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of the invention, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details oi the device illustrated and in its op eration may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a liquid flow switch having a sealed body, axially aligned electrode leads terminating in electrodes in said envelope, and a body of mercury in said envelope for breaking and making the circuit between said electrodes, a wall plate, a bracket extending from said plate, said switch being mounted between said plate and said bracket for rotation about said electrode leads as axes.

2. In combination with a liquid flow switch having a sealed body, axially aligned electrode leads terminating in electrodes in said envelope, and a body of mercury in said envelope for making and breaking the circuit between said electrodes, a wall plate, a bracket extending from said plate, said switch being mounted between said plate and said bracket for rotation about said electrodes, a handle member mounted to one of said electrodes and frictional means for bracket extending from said plate, said holding said switch in open or closed positions as desired.

3. In combination with a liquid flow switch having a sealed body, axially aligned electrode leads terminating in electrodes in said envelope, and a body of mercury in said envelope for making and breakingthe circuit between said electrodes, a wall plate,a

switch being -mounted between said plate and said bracket for rotation about said electrodes, handle means mounted toone of said electrodes at said wall plate, a spring finger carried by said handle and movable thereby over the surface of said plate,- said plate having a depression therein into which said finger will move in an open; circuit position of the switch and another depression 'into which said finger will move in a closed circuit position of said switch. I

4. In combination with a liquid flow switch having a sealed body, axially aligned electrode leads terminating in electrodes in said envelope, and a body ofmercury in said envelope for making and breaking the circuit between said electrodes, a wall plate, a bracket extending from said plate, said switch being mounted between said plate and said bracket for rotation about said electrodes, handle means mounted to one of said electrodes at said wall plate, a spring fin 'er carried by said handle and movable ther by over the surface of. said plate, said plate having a depression therein into which said finger will move in an open circuit position of the switch and another depression into which said fingerwill move in a closed circuit position of said switch, the sides of said depressions being formed to cause the spring of said finger to permit its movement from either of said depressions to the other.

5. In combination with a liquid flow switch having a sealed body, axially aligned electrode leads terminating in electrodes in said envelope, :and a body of mercury in t said envelope for making and breaking the circuit between said electrodes, a wall plate, a bracket extending from said'plate, said switch being mounted between said plate and said' bracket for rotation about said electrodes, handle means mounted to one of said electrodes at said. wall plate, a spring finger carried by said handle and movable thereby over the surface of said plate, said plate having a depression therein 7 into which said finger will move in an 0 en circuit position of the switch and anot er depression into which said fin er will move in a closed circuit position 0 said switch, the sides of said depressions being formed to cause the spring of said finger to permit its movement from either of said depressions to the other and to prevent movement beyond said depressions. v

Signed at Hoboken in the county son and State of New Jersey this 14th day. of January, A. D; 1927.

WARREN R. WALKER.

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